The present invention relates generally to the representation and organization of information on a computer display, and, more particularly, to the animation of icons on a computer display.
Modern computer systems convey much of their information to the user through a graphical user interface (GUI). GUI implementations may vary, but nearly all GUIs allow objects, such as computer programs and data structures, to be represented by miniaturized graphical representations, called icons. These icons are small image bitmaps (e.g., 32 by 32 pixels) selected to represent the underlying computer program or data structure pictographically. For example, a word processing program may be represented by an icon of a pen. To activate the program, a user will select the corresponding icon with a pointing device such as a mouse.
Icons make it easier for users to identify programs or data structures simply by the shape and appearance of the icons. Due to their small size relative to the size of the display screen, many icons can be displayed at one time. Icons can also generally be moved to any location on the display screen, thereby optimizing the area available for the display of information.
Although most conventional icons are static, some have been animated. Generally, animated icons are displayed by changing the icon image over time to produce an illusion of motion. Icon animation removes the limitation of using only a fixed array of pixels for an icon image while maintaining a small size on the computer display. Animated icons have been used to allow the user to associate the icon more easily with its functionality.
Conventional animated and static icons, however, show relatively little information about the objects they represent. For example, although they inform the user of the general functionality of the object represented, they fail to inform the user of the amount or quality of the data manipulated by the objects: they do not contain much information about the particular state of the object they represent.
Thus, there is a need for condensed graphical representations of computer objects, data, or processes that efficiently convey more information about its functionality and/or state.